Nobody here has ever wanted to believe what I heard Mike Madigan say over 10 years ago, just after RLD pulled his closing of AP stunt, "...yeah, well, it'll be a cold day in hell before we give that old *** a dime...".

I don't even bother to come out and pooh-pooh the latest and greatest rounds of "We're Almost There!!" threads every time a bill gathers a little steam downstate -- I already know where it's going. Nobody gets nothing decent in this state without Mike Madigan's stamp of approval, and Madigan wouldn't piss on RLD if the old man was burning to a crisp.

What...is it just dumb luck that what I heard Madigan say so long ago has come to pass? If something comes true, I think it needs to be given a little more credence than everday BS hearsay.

So would world peace and a cure for cancer. It's legit. I'm sure you'll read about Lang *** about it next week.

But meanwhile, your own impeccable sources connected to your position as a groom at Fairmount Park (or deadbeat bettor at the Oakbrook OTB, take your pick of buzzkill back story of the week) have filled you in on the true inside story, but not any legit news source or Capitolfax or the Illinois Issues blog or any of those other political gossip oulets.

Every day I keep searching the news for mention of Madigan telling Lang to kill any racetrack slots, and every day I don't see it. Big new story in the Trib yesterday about gambling expansion with lots of quotes from Lang, and no mention of that. What gives, buzzy?